Broken Wings
by Secret Keeper-Kipa
Summary: Things are changing within the Soul Society, and Third Seat Kensei Himitsu of the Tenth Division wants to find out what. Join Kensei as he meets Ichigo and the gang, as well as trying to deal with a deep secret concerning his distant past. Summary Sucks-but set during Soul Society Arc. Slight Hitugaya/ OC, Shuuhei/ OC. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Theme Song****: Three cheers for Five years by Mayday Parade**

_People are always needed, even if they don't know it-there are always those special someone's who wait in the background, ready to act as you pillars of support. I know this, and yet I'm still afraid, I'm afraid of being a burden to those I care about. The main question that reverberates within my head is: Am I worth being cared for? I've done nothing for those dear to me, never really told them how much they mean to me, I've always told myself that I've shown it enough times for it to be clear. But who am I kidding? If I'm truly honest with myself, I guess the reason I've always held back is because I don't trust myself with others. How do I know that my actions don't just end up hurting everyone around me, that my true self will scare them away, and I'll be left alone? There's a part of me that recoils from the possibility of it happening. That it is better to keep hidden, rather than ending up getting hurt through my own stupidity._

I sighed, closing the worn tattered journal, leaning back against the old Sakura tree situated nearby the Academy training grounds. I normally always came here whenever I needed to be alone and think, or whenever I became particularly nostalgic. This was one of those times. Glancing down at the small book in my hands, I ran my hand over the deep grooves on the front that formed a name:

'_Higetsu Tensei'_

A name that meant everything and nothing at the same time, one I should have forgotten long ago. It just kept getting in the way, causing me unnecessary pain. **Just another dream wasted on you.** I leant my head against the trunk of the tree, letting the calm breeze pass over me, causing some strands of my dark hair to fall over my eyes, as I gazed up at the overhanging branches. **But at the same time, I don't want to forget what we had. She was my comrade, my friend, my Sister in everything but blood.**

I chuckled slightly as I recalled the day we met. We had both originated from the same district, the 64th District of Rukongai to be precise. I had met Getsu when we were young teenagers, albeit in unusual circumstances. You see, the 64th District was made up of two main gangs, both on opposite sides of the town, the North and the South, and each lead by the strongest of those sides. Unsurprisingly, both Getsu and I weren't part of the system, since we both liked to do things our own way. It seemed we'd had more in common then we'd thought, as we had both decided to hijack the same trade route that the North leader had distributed to his side of the district.

After that, it became a rival competition at first, both of us attempting to prove our skills to the other, trying to get the best of each other. When one of these attempts almost ended in her death, having been trapped under a fallen tree branch on a collapsing wooden bridge, it became an unspoken agreement to stick together from then on. We'd been inseparable ever since, each of us having the others back.

It was during the harsh winter months of our fifth year together when fate decided to take her from me. Getsu was holed up in our shack where we lived with a terrible fever, I'd made it as sheltered as much as I possibly could from the harsh storm, but in the end it wasn't enough. I had been out scrounging for herbs, medicine, anything I could get my hands on that could have aided her in any way. I'd returned to a dark, quite shelter, and she just wouldn't wake up.

Clenching my fist, I gritted my teeth as I became plagued with the same thoughts that had plagued me all those years ago. **I could have saved her, if only I had stayed with her to keep her warm. If I had kept her awake, she would have lived. I keep telling myself this, and yet-**

'_Hey Kensei! You gonna sit there all day? We're gonna be late for our briefing with the Freshman Class, if you don't hurry up!' _

Startled out of my daze, I swung round, searching out the owner of the voice. A young man, about 5' 11, was leant against the other side of the tree where I was residing, peering down at my lone form. His arms were crossed and his eyebrow rose expectantly. Dark hair that had been cut short was ruffled by a sudden gust of wind, so that some loose strands had fallen and covered his right eye. Huffing in slight annoyance, he pouted and attempted to blow the rogue strands away from his face, sighing and giving up when they refused to co-operate. Focusing back on me, he grinned on seeing my dazed expression, his gaze landing on the small tattered book in my hands. I spotted his eyes soften slightly, but it was only brief before he was shrugging off the trunk and turning to saunter back to wherever he came from, but not before throwing one last remark over his shoulder: _'And by your flustered expression, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that you forgot didn't you?'_

Scrambling up and jogging over to him to match his steady pace across the grounds, I opened my mouth to give a witty retort, before he interrupted me,

'_There's no point in denying it, judging by your expression back there, a briefing was the last thing on your mind'_

At my sharp glance, he sighed and stopped walking in order to gaze out at the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to set. He must have glimpsed my confused glance, since he elaborated:

'_It's that time of year again, isn't it?' _He laughed slightly at my shocked look, clasping my shoulder with his hand, grey eyes sparkling with amusement, along with an intensity I couldn't place, _'Come on Kensei, I'm not completely ignorant, I've known you ever since we started at the Academy.' _The amusement faded from his eyes, and he looked back towards the eastern sun, _'Plus, it's the first day of winter, I could feel the chill as soon as I woke up this morning, it signals her anniversary. You've always had an affiliation with the cold, ever since she left._

He didn't say anything else, merely clapping me on the shoulder, flashing me a grin that immediately lightened the mood, before suddenly sprinting off ahead,

'_Oi Kenny boy, let's see how slower you've gotten these last few weeks while I've been on my mission with the Gotei 13!_

My eyes narrowed, and I gave a low growl before sprinting off after him, fist raised.

'_How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?! It's Kensei, not Ken-Ken, Kenny or Kenny boy!' _I growled even more when the sound of his laughter reached my ears. _'Shuuhei!' _I yelled, _'Get back here!' _

**Damm that Shuuhei, he always knows what to say when I feel like this. He's always been the one to bring me back from the darkness of my memories. That in itself, should be enough of a resolve. The resolve to live each day with vigor, and the strength to protect my comrades that stand before me.**

'_People are always needed'_

**That was what she believed, what she had written. It's almost funny with how true that is. I can see evidence of that in the way Shuuhei acts with me. I can only hope that one day- that one day, I can return the favor.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Theme Song****: 9 Shades of Red by Hedley**

'_Alright, Academy students, listen up!' _I stood, watching as the noisy chattering of the excited Freshman Class students of Soul Reaper Academy died down, and eager eyes all focused on the one who had spoken: field trip leader, Shuuhei Hisagi, last year student of the Academy, my classmate and close friend.

He made sure all noise had died down, and all attention was on him before he continued,

'_As you all know, the reason you are here today is because you are the lucky group who scored the highest in the Entrance Exam, and so you made it into the Advanced Class.' _Gesturing to me, he beckoned me forward, _'My classmate, Kensei Himitsu, will explain the purpose of today's task.'_

At my cue, I stepped forward. After a quick scan of the crowd, my gaze landed on three figures residing at the back, one I particular. **I know that familiar hair, Renji Abari I think his name is. His bright crimson colored hair would stand out anywhere. **I had bumped into Renji a couple of days into his first year. I had been just returning from a late night Kendo class that I was in charge of, when I had found him wandering around the Training grounds like a stray dog.

I had heard that he had originated from the same parts of Rukongai that I had, so I knew how he felt. So I'd invited him to join my late night classes, despite him being snappy about it at first, going on about not wanting to be pitied. He'd quickly warmed up to the idea when I had proved that he needed my extra classes, and we got along ever since. **And by the feel of his Spiritual Pressure now, he could be one of the strongest ones here, he certainly looks the part, must be because of my training. **I thought smugly.

Clearing my throat, I flashed a grin at Shuuhei before beginning, _'Now, you've probably heard most of the rumors going round, so I'll just clear things up for you. Tonight, we are going to the World of the Living in order for you to practice performing Konso.' _Smirking, I stood back for a moment to allow the excited murmurings to die down, before continuing,

'_In this drill, you will all be set up to fight dummy Hollows. In your hands, you should have a slip of paper with a symbol, and should match up with two others with the same symbol. _I waited for the students to organize themselves. _'All this will be carried out in a barrier of a certain radius, so that no Humans will get in the way'. _I rolled my eyes as the low murmurings grew into quiet complaints after hearing they would be fighting dummy Hollows. _'Oi! I don't wanna hear any complaints from you lot, ya got that!' _Shuuhei stood chuckling beside me at my exasperated look, '_This is a serious drill, so get your asses out there and get to work!'_


	3. Chapter 3

****

Theme Song: So Cold by Breaking Benjamin

By the time we had reached the World of the Living, it was way past sundown. Currently, the freshmen had dispersed into their assigned groups, and were teaming up to take out the Hollows we had set them up with. From where I was, crouched on the roof of the warehouse that was my allocated lookout point, I had a clear view of the majority of what was going on down below. Despite all this, I still had a deep sense of unease, and so I kept a light hand on my practice katana, eyes constantly scanning the surrounding area.

'_Hey, how's everything holding up?',_I looked up to find Shuuhei watching me expectantly, his lean figure silhouetted against the night, arms crossed. As he came to settle beside me, I responded,

'_Eh, all fine on my side. What about the other lookouts you had posted?'_Feeling myself starting to go numb, I stood up from my crouch and began stretching out the kinks in my shoulders and lower back. Damm, the winters are colder then I remember._'Are they all on alert?'_I finished, glancing back down at Shuuhei, who had been staring up at me.

He looked away, coughing slightly, before reaching up to his ear, where we had placed our communications radio, '_Yeah, they should all be-',_He hesitated, frowning in confusion.

'_What is it? What's wrong?',_I questioned my friend, feeling the unease creep back up when he still hadn't answered. I held my breath and tightened my grip on my weapon, when Shuuhei's gaze caught mine, confusion evident. '_They aren't replying. I've just tried getting in contact, and all I get is static'._

Huh? That shouldn't be happening.I opened my mouth to say so, when I was suddenly interrupted by a large roar, followed by a terrified scream.

We both froze, only for a moment, before snapping into action and flash stepping in the direction of the scream. I grit my teeth when I felt an unwelcome presence that made my blood boil. _'H-hey Shuuhei! You feel that?'_

He glanced at me, and I could feel the worry in his gaze as I kept my focus on reaching our destination, he nodded. '_Yeah, I do. It's pretty strong'._Jerking to a sudden stop, Shuuhei turned to me sharply,

'_Listen Kensei, we need to split up.'_He ordered, his emergency training kicking in, _'We need to make sure the students aren't in danger. You go round them up and take them to the evacuation centre. I'll slow down this Hollow!'_

I gave a firm nod, _'I'm on it!',_Before I detoured off on a separate path, heading in the direction where I felt the highest amount of Spiritual Pressure, Shuuhei yelling after me, _'Join me when your done!'._

The wind whipped at my hamaka violently, as I blurred past the solitary warehouses that had been long abandoned. I could only hope that none of the students had actually come face to face with the thing. Kami, how could this Hollow have slipped through our defenses!

'_Senpai! Senpai, we're down here!'_ My head whipped round and I caught sight of the freshmen, all huddled together by the security point. As I quickly made my way down, I sighed in relief. Good, they're all here

'_Are any of you hurt!',_I barked. Seeing their shaking heads, I took my sword and unlocked the portable Senkaimon that we were granted for this particular field trip. It's probably the last one too. The Seireitei won't allow anyone back to the World of the Living, once they get wind of this.

After ushering everyone through, I rapidly sealed the portal and flash stepped in the direction where I felt Shuuhei's Spiritual presence. Arriving at the scene, I immediately assessed the situation:

Shuuhei was standing below, in the clearing of warehouses, shoulders tense and his sword gripped in a fighting position. Where the hell is the Hollow?!

'_Hey Shuuhei!',_I yelled down to him, _'Everyone's evacuated, what happened to the Hollow? You kill it already?'_I rested a hand on my sword, just in case, scanning the surrounding rooftops.

At the sound of my voice, Shuuhei whipped around, panic etched on his face, my eyes widened. _'Kensei! It can suppress its Spiritual Pressure, it's left us completely blinded!'_As he was speaking, I noticed the air behind him distort slightly. …Is that..?

'_Shuuhei, behind you!'_My warning came too late, just as Shuuhei attempted to bring his sword to block the oncoming attack, jagged claws struck him across the face. Time seemed to freeze, as I watched, with shock and slight fear, as Shuuhei went flying and careened into one of the nearest storage centers. The Hollow was finally visible, its ghostly mask pale in the moonlight, as its grotesque body moved in for the kill, towards the unmoving form of my best friend.

Sudden rage surged up within me, and releasing an anguished yell, I charged towards our attacker, sword drawn and raised. I gave a savage grin as I slashed through the Hollows unprotected back, and it let out an agonized cry as it fell, defeated. **This is the end for you, monster.**

Leaving the Hollow for dead, I flashed stepped to Shuuhei's side and shifted him, so he was on his back, facing up. I froze, horrified. **What has it done to him! The whole side of his face is completely shredded!** The wound was pretty deep, I guessed, as it hadn't stopped bleeding yet.

Turning, I ripped a large portion of my sleeve and bandaged his face as best as I could. My hands were shaking violently as I quickly scanned his body, checking for any other injuries. I was barely holding it together. From the awkward position of his right leg, I'd say it's been shattered pretty breathing was rapid and shallow. **He's not gonna last long if I don't get him to the Fourth Division soon.**

'_Shuuhei, listen to me, you keep breathing and stay alive. Stay with me, and don't you dare die on me you bastard!'_Just as I was about to send for medical aid through my Hell Butterfly, I heard someone screaming my name.

'_Kensei-senpai, watch out!_' I whipped round in alarm, just in time to see razor claws bearing down on me. White hot, searing pain engulfed my whole body, as I took the full force of the blow, failing to raise my sword in time. Flying back, I collided with one of the metal beams of the construction site, with enough force to make me cough up blood. **Shit, w-what is this? How could this have happened?! I-I killed it!**

As I fell to the ground, I groaned in pain, and drew in a shuddering gasp. My eyes widened and I chocked.** I-I can't breathe! **A shaking hand reached for my throat, and felt the damage there.**T-the Hollow clawed right through my throat**!Trembling, I attempted to crawl towards my discarded weapon, which lay a few meters away from where I fell. I was only too aware of the threat that was gradually making its way towards me, though I hadn't the strength to move my limbs, let alone stand.

Black started to cloud my vision. I could feel my lungs burning from the lack of oxygen in my veins. I continued gasping for breath, choking when blood filled my lungs instead. **Is this my fate**?I grit my teeth in fury,** Could I let myself die like this? In this way? **I felt frozen, like I was floating. Suddenly, it seemed like it didn't matter whether I lived or died. I scoffed lightly, clenching my fist; I could feel my body beginning to shut down. I managed one last thought, before I let the darkness overcome me.** Shuuhei, you better make this out alive.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Theme Song****: Not Fragile by Christina Grimmie**

'_Alert, there are intruders in the Seireitei! I repeat, there are intruders in the Seireitei!'_

I glanced up, eyes narrowed, as the unexpected alert echoed around the empty room that was my office. Setting my pen down on the remaining report I'd had yet to finish, I stood from my desk and followed the Hell Butterfly reporting, out into the hall.

**Kami, this is the worst possible timing. **I thought, rubbing my forehead in annoyance, while making my way down the hall to the last room that resided there. **All the Division's have enough on their plate as it is, what with the upcoming execution of Rukia Kuchiki.**

On reaching the desired room, I knocked firmly, sliding back the door and entered on command. Inside, the room was much larger, with the desk facing an open living room equipped with couches. A large window was placed on the opposite wall of the desk, allowing plenty of light to filter into the office during work hours.** Plus, it gives a warm, homey atmosphere. **I glanced towards where my Captain sat dutifully working, the usual piles of paperwork towering over his small frame. I felt my eye twitch slightly. **Well, despite the usual icy temperament of the Captain. **

I shook my head, focusing back on the problem at hand, and made my way to stand in front of the desk of my superior. I waited patiently as he finished signing the report he was on, before setting down his pen and turning his attention to me.

Instinctively, I straightened when his teal eyes focused on me, trying to prevent myself from shifting uncomfortably in response to his observance. **Damm, he does this every time, it's like he knows it bothers me. **After a short moment, he got down to business.

'_Third seat Himitsu', _he began, gesturing to the Hell Butterfly that I had followed here, _'I trust that you have received the message, and are aware of the intrusion?'_

'_Yes Sir,' _I nodded an affirmative, attempting to subtly blow away a few strands of hair that had fallen over my eyes in the process. I'd let my hair grow out through the years, so now it reached just past my chin, though I gotta tell you, it was a pain in the ass to fix sometimes.** Though, not as annoying as Captain Kuchiki's must be. I mean what is with his weird kenseki thing he puts in his hair? **

I snapped out of my thoughts, realizing that my Captain had been watching me blandly, eyebrow raised, obviously waiting for me to continue, though I could tell, by the way his eyes glinted, that he was amused at my lack of reserve.

'_A-ah yes.'_ I coughed, slightly embarrassed, _'I received the alert just now and came here immediately.' _ Bowing low, I continued, _'What are your orders, Captain Hitsugaya?' _As I straightened up, I cringed slightly, rubbing at the bandages at my throat.

'_I sent the Lieutenant to lead a squad to patrol the surrounding area, in case any of the Ryoka landed near-', _he paused, '_Himitsu?'_

I glanced up in surprise, to see the Captain looking at me in concern, his usual stern teal eyes now softened, though if it were a stranger, they wouldn't notice it at all. The Captain hardly ever referred to his subordinates without their proper title, only when he was truly worried about something, so I was surprised to be called by my name, he hardly ever revealed himself like this.

'_Sir?' _I questioned, though I had a good guess of what he was going to say, I still waited for him to take the first step.

'_Your injury still bothers you, doesn't it, the one from that night?'_

**Ah, I guessed right, **I thought, still massaging my throat that had been so badly wounded a few hundred years ago, **it was quite a learning experience.**

'_Only slightly, Sir.' _I replied truthfully, flashing him a grin, _'it'll go away soon, it always does.'_

**It was during our last year at the Academy. The current ninth Division Lieutenant, Shuuhei Hisagi, and I were very close friends at the time. We had been in charge of the freshmen fieldtrip to the World of the Living, when we were ambushed by an unexpectedly powerful Hollow. At that time, it was too powerful for even the two of us to handle, we'd barely got away with our lives. **

**Shuuhei had suffered a broken leg and a swipe to the face. Me, I hadn't been as lucky. Receiving a full on frontal blow, the Hollow had left me with severe internal damage and a scar along the bridge of my nose. If it had been just those injuries, it would have been a lot less hassle. **

**Unfortunately, the bastard had got me right across the throat, leaving a deep enough wound that I would have bled out, dying within minutes, that, or either chocking to death.**

**I'd passed out cold, and had woken up in the Fourth Division medical centre. Captain Unohana had informed me that the only reason that Shuuhei and I were still alive were because of the actions of three rebellious students.**

**Momo Hinamori, Izuru Kira and Renji Abarai, who knew those three, would be the ones that I'd owe my life to. I wouldn't have chosen any other trio to owe that debt, no matter how many times they decline.**

**While I'd spent the next six weeks in recovery, Shuuhei had been accepted early into the Ninth Division, as a seated officer. I was proud of him. Sadly, due to the extent of damage to my throat, I had been rendered mute, so hadn't been able to tell him. I had been advised to refrain from attempting to speak during my recovery, as it would only cause further damage, and take longer to heal.**

**During this time, I had come to despise the way most of the Fourth Division had treated me, giving me pitying glances when they thought I wasn't looking. Didn't they know that I was strong, even without having a voice! After my release, I was immediately accepted into the Second Division, under Captain Soi Fon, as a seated officer of the Stealth Force. I had covered up the scars on my neck, to prevent questions and any unnecessary staring, and made a vow to move on and to increase my abilities, to get stronger. I wished to reach the same level as Shuuhei.**

**Years passed, and I'd finally managed to speak again, though it only ached through overuse, and even then all it needed was something to cool down the burn. My good friend, Shuuhei had been promoted to Lieutenant of the Ninth Division, and issues with the unfilled positions of the Tenth Division were finally brought up. Head Captain Yamamoto, to everyone's shock, promoted a young boy fresh from the Academy.**

**Going by the name of Toshiro Hitsugaya, he was apparently chosen because he'd managed to graduate early due to his talent. He further filled the position of Lieutenant by recruiting Rangiku Mastsamoto. Captain Soi Fon, fortunately, deemed my skills adequate, as she put me up for recommendation for the Division. I was promoted to Third Seat of the Tenth Division under Captain Hitsugaya.**

**I had a good feeling about him; even so, I wouldn't have passed up a chance to test his power-as well as showing mine. It was completely extraordinary! Who'd have figured he would have an ice type Zanpakuto, the complete opposite to my Tayosei, a fire type. Let's just say, the training grounds greatly resembled the effects of a hot spring after that spar, the steam was so thick.**

**Both of us held high respects for each other after that, and I didn't care if I was older than the guy, I admired him. I could tell he respected me for my dedication and loyalty, as well as my hard-working attitude, unlike a certain Lieutenant. **

**I could tell that he was greatly experienced, despite his young age, and was completely dedicated to his Division in turn. I knew from then on, that I would follow him anywhere, even if he didn't expect me to, he was one of those rare souls that demanded admiration, I couldn't have resisted. Fortunately, this promotion allowed me to regularly visit Shuuhei, as our Divisions were now situated right next to one another.**

'_Well then Third Seat Himitsu, if that is all, I would like you to join up with Lieutenant Matsumoto-God knows she'll need all the help she can get'. _I glanced back up at the Captain, pushing old memories to the back of my head. **No need to dwell on those now.**

I smirked as the meaning of the latter part of the Captains mumbled statement registered, _'Oh Captain, what a thing to say about your Lieutenant', _He became slightly flustered, as he realized that I'd heard the last part of his order. Teal eyes narrowed when he noticed my smirk, and he ran a hand through his pure white hair, before pointing at the door.

'_Out! You're just as bad as Matsumoto! I don't know why I put up with the two of you!' _Chuckling, I bowed before strolling out the door, but not before flinging one last remark over my shoulder:

'_Don't you worry Captain Hitsugaya, I'll deal with those pesky Ryoka for ya! Someone as young as you shouldn't have to deal with adult matters such as this.'_ At the sound of a chair being flung back, and angry stomping towards the door, I grinned mischievously and bolted down the hallway, as the furious voice of my Captain reverberated along behind me:

'_I am not a little kid! How many times do I have to say it! Kensei, get back here! Kensei!.'_


	5. Chapter 5

**Theme Song****: Carry Me by Papa Roach**

Buildings whizzed by as I flash stepped through the many streets of the Seireitei, Zanpakuto strapped across my back, searching for the small squad of my Division. **How bloody hard can it be to find just one squad! **I growled in frustration, as I once again came face to face with a dead end. **I even bet Rangiku completely forgot about her search party. I'll probably find her drinking sake somewhere.**

Glancing up, I decided the rooftops would be a better vantage point to search, so I sprang up to perch on the highest point. After a while of pointless searching, I gave up, huffing in exasperation, I sat down on the rooftop I was currently on, thinking on what my next approach could be.

**There's been no sign of anyone, Ryoka or Soul Reaper. **Sighing, I propped up my knee, resting my arm against it. I searched out, scanning the surrounding area for any remaining Spiritual Pressures of people nearby. I frowned in concern.** It seems that all this business with the Ryoka invasion, sent the Soul Society into complete panic**. **Many Soul Reapers from other Divisions are acting out on their own. Something doesn't feel right with the whole situation. **My eyes widened, as an overbearing Pressure suddenly bore down on me. Though it didn't completely affect me, I still found it slightly difficult to breathe.

**W-what the hell! That Spiritual Pressure-it's no one I've sensed before, it must be one of the Ryoka- a powerful one at that. **Springing to my feet, I made to draw Tayosei, when I suddenly felt another Spiritual Pressure coming from a different direction, and it was closing in, fast.

Tuning sharply, I just managed to brace myself, before a black blur collided into me out of nowhere. I let out a strained grunt, feeling the breath leave my lungs, before toppling over the edge of the roof and crashing into the ground below.

Groaning in pain, I slowly sat up, rubbing a small bump on my skull. **Crap, that's gonna leave a mark. **Before looking around the empty street in confusion, **what the hell hit me? **Hearing a soft hiss of pain, I glanced down to see a pair of golden eyes blinking back up at me. I raised an eyebrow. **..A cat..?**

I currently had a lapful of feline, which had just popped out of nowhere, and it apparently seemed fairly amused at the fact. **Hmm. **Shifting, I lifted the feline, as I began to get to my feet. Lifting the cat, so that it was eye level, I studied it intently, my green eyes narrowed. **That Spiritual Pressure…it's not normal.**

'_Cat' _I stated firmly, and its eyes widened slightly, _'I demand that you show your true self, or I'll have to force you to comply'. _I was glad that the street was deserted at that moment, since I probably looked crazy, talking to a cat. Let alone threatening it.

Cocking its head to the side, it seemed to observe me quietly for a moment, before it suddenly managed to pull off a mischievous smirk._'Well aren't you a sharp one', _it spoke, lifting one paw and grooming it, as if it was perfectly content where it was, _'no one else has been able to tell that I'm not what I seem, quite that quickly before'. _The cat had a deep voice, presumably male**. **I narrowed my eyes, considering.

He continued, despite my silent scrutiny, _'Well, since you have me quite comfortably in your arms, I suppose I should introduce myself. The name's Yoruichi.' _ He then paused, watching me expectantly.

'…_Kensei' _I replied, albeit reluctantly, _'Kensei Himitsu, Third Seat of the Tenth Division'._ There was an awkward pause here, which was drawn out by the complete silence of the street we were in.

'…_You don't seem very surprised.' _Yoruichi eventually broke the silence. He seemed slightly put out, I smirked at that. He sighed in mock disappointment, though his twitching ears gave away his amusement _'and here I was, hoping to have a little fun with this.'_

'_Well, it's hard to be surprised when faced with something so familiar' _I stated, dropping him and watching as he gracefully landed on his feet. _'Plus I could tell you were one of the Ryoka as soon as I saw you, it's not every day you see a talking cat running around Soul Society'. _I stared down at him imperiously, _'and please, don't take me for a fool, it's insulting'. _

At this, his eyes glinted, _'Oh?' _he asked, _'and what, if I may ask, is so familiar about this situation?' _I could see that my comment had put him slightly on edge, as his sleek black fur had began to bristle and his whole stance was tense.

Rolling my eyes, I glanced around quickly before shaking my head,** might as well get this over with before getting back to the Captain,** setting down Tayosei against the wall, I turned back to face a patient Yoruichi. _'Since this is an inconvenient time for me',_ I smirked at the Ryoka, _'I'll make this quick. I have to get back to my Division to report in.' _

Breathing in slowly, I closed my eyes and focused on the center of my Spiritual energy, channeling it to spread throughout the whole of my body, causing it to glow a deep green. Eventually, it cleared, revealing the aftereffects of my power surge.

'_Well, this certainly explains everything.' _The Ryoka stated, his eyes bright. With what, I wasn't sure, but I focused on the rest of what he was saying. _'This form matches your personality perfectly_, _just as mine suits me'_ He slinked towards me, ears pricked, _'So, your spirit chose the fox, huh?'_.

Black-furred paws had replaced my hands, and black-tipped ears were situated on the top of my skull, twitching in anticipation, russet-furred tail swishing languidly behind me. My lips pulled back into a slight snarl as the Ryoka began to get close. **I can't get distracted, this Ryoka is my enemy. I can already tell that he's dangerous. He seems to have a way of getting his opponent to let down their guard.**

I stopped snarling but still on my guard, _'Now this should even the odds. If there's one thing you should know Ryoka, it's that I always fight fairly, if you're still weaker than me like this', _I shrugged, _'it's your loss.'_

'_How noble', _he teased, '_but I have to ask, how good is your flash step?' _

'_It was good enough to have got me a position in the Stealth Force!' _I retorted. Suspicious, I remained alert.

Suddenly, the Ryoka let out a joyful laugh, _'oh, this is too rich!', _I felt my eye twitch in annoyance, as he still continued to laugh. Finally I snapped:

'_What the hell is so funny!' _I growled heatedly, I felt my composure slipping. _'What have you got against the Second Division?' _

At this, he finally focused his attention back onto me, though now he seemed more lighthearted, as if he were dealing with an old friend. **What's with this dude? He's got a serious case of mood swings'.**

_Let's just say that I used to be very familiar with that ex-Captain of yours, it's nice to hear of her again.' _His eyes then grew serious, and he glanced abruptly over his shoulder, as if bothered by something. I grew confused at the expression of concern that appeared on his face, before I became aware of what bothered him, and my ears pricked.

'_That overbearing Spiritual Pressure-'_Yoruichi glanced sharply over at me as I spoke, his sleek tail swishing from side to side, _'that's from one of your companions isn't it?' _At his somber expression, I persisted, _'You're here to rescue Rukia Kuchiki, aren't you? That's the only explanation.'_

'_Not me'. _Yoruichi turned and leapt onto the high wall bordering the path, turning back to stare down at me, from where I still stood, _'a friend of mine is determined to save her. And he will stop at nothing in order to do so'. _

My ears pulled back against my head, and my fur bristled at the implied warning, but I wandered at his words. **A Ryoka wants to save Rukia? But it's only been a month since she left for the Living World, how could one person be so devoted to another in such a short amount of time? **

'_Hold on!', _I realized that as I had been deep in thought, Yoruichi had been making his way along the wall, in the direction of the overbearing Spiritual Pressure, _'If you think I'm just going to let you walk away-'_

'_Listen to me, Kensei Himitsu!' _I blinked in surprised at the sudden outburst, forgetting all my annoyance, _'there are greater things going on here!'_. He was now glaring down at me, his golden eyes flashing. _'I've been here long enough to suspect that something's going on. Haven't you even considered why the Soul Society is in such a state of panic because of a handful of Ryoka? Or why Rukia's execution date keeps being moved up?'_

**He's got a point, **I paused, thinking over all that she had said, **and there's been more disorder and confusion than usual. Could there be more going on than we think? **I could feel all my thoughts jumble, and frowned. I looked over to question the Ryoka, Yoruichi more, but the words caught in my throat when I saw that he'd disappeared.

I snarled in frustration, **well that was bloody pointless! Stupid cat! **Stomping over to where I'd placed Tayosei, I sighed in irritation, eyeing my now singed uniform, nose twitching: _'Great!', _I groaned aloud, rifling through the pile of clothing with my paw, checking if anything could be salvageable. It seemed that the power of my Spiritual Pressure had burned through my uniform when I'd transformed. **Again. Damm, the Captain's gonna have a field trip!**

'_**Well, it's as I've always said'**__**, **_a smug voice echoed in my head, _**'**__**you're as reckless as the fire you wield. You never think things through!'**__**. **_

'**Oh shut up will ya! **I growled back, though my mood lifted slightly after hearing the voice of my Zanpakuto.

Muttering to myself, I left the pile of burnt material, deeming them useless, and slipped through the strap that I used for Tayosei, slinging it onto my back, before adjusting it with my teeth. Shaking my head, I pushed all the recent confusion to the back of my mind, there was time to dwell on it later, and let out a small grin.

'**Hey Tayosei, when we get back to the Division, let's see if we can get a rise out of ****Hyorinmaru. We never did manage last time, and we'll need some fun after all this.**

'_**Now that', **_snickered Tayosei, '_**sounds like a brilliant idea!'. **_

Chuckling, I leaped onto the roof of one of the store houses, and headed back towards my Division barracks, trying to decide what I could say to Captain Hitsugaya that would sound like I hadn't just been bested by a Ryoka. **And a cat at that. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Theme Song: ** **Still Breathing by Mayday Parade**

Sitting quietly, Captain Hitsugaya was calmly trying to finish signing off the remaining paperwork that his Lieutenant had, once again, failed to complete. It was just reaching mid afternoon, and the Thirteen Divisions still hadn't sorted out the problem concerning the Ryoka from the previous day, and Rangiku had even failed to take out the search party he'd put her in charge of. She was currently lying drunk on one of the many sofas in his office, giggling and chattering drunkenly to herself. It was beginning to give him a headache.

**What's worse is that I sent Third Seat Himitsu searching all over the Seireitei for a non-existent squad! **Setting his pen down, Toshiro cradled his head in his hands, gently massaging his temple in an attempt to relieve the pain that was now trying to saw his head in half. **Actually, knowing him, he's probably got distracted and wandered off; I haven't seen him since yesterday. **He sighed in exasperation. **Sometimes I wonder what I've done to deserve this stress!**

Suddenly, Toshiro lifted his head, expression now serious and alert, teal eyes trained on the door to his office, to which was immediately slid open aggressively. A messenger, one from the Stealth Force, stood there panting, obviously in a rush to reach the Tenth's barracks.

'_What is it? What's wrong?' _The Captain stood, a frown on his stern features, masking his worry. Rangiku had been startled out of her stupor, and was now watching the exchange with quiet concern

'_I-It's Captain Aizen!' _Panted the messenger, facing the Captain with wide, panicked eyes, _'the Captain's been murdered!' _

'_What!' _A hush had fallen over the room, Captain and Lieutenant glanced at each other for a moment in shock, before taking action. Captain Hitsugaya strode around the desk towards the door, while Rangiku went to stand by his side, _'Lead us to the location immediately' _he ordered. Proceeding to follow the Stealth Force member, Toshiro felt dread grow in the pit of his stomach, as he flash stepped over the rooftops towards the Fifth Division. **Who could have done this? **He thought furiously. **Many things are occurring in conjunction with each other, and they can't all be coincidences. There must be more to this than we understand.**

* * *

**Theme Song:** **Ready or Not by Britt Nicole**

Peeking over the edge of the storage roof that I had concealed myself, I peered down at the two figures that had also attempted to hide themselves. **Great, **I thought wryly, continuing to observe them bickering quietly, **more Ryoka that pop up out'a nowhere, aren't I lucky. **Pricking my ears, I cocked my head to the side. **Maybe I should take a leaf out of Ikkaku's book and perform a 'Lucky Dance'. **I shuddered as soon as the thought entered my mind, and shoved it back down, never to be heard of again. **One dance is bad enough.**

I began to grow confused as I focused back onto the bickering pair. A boy, of about fifteen, short black hair and glasses, I snorted. **The kid comes equipped with a cape and bow-he's a strange one alright. **Turning my attention onto the redheaded girl next to him, I furrowed my eyebrows as I took in what she was wearing. **Those clothes are nothing that I've ever seen. Just who are these people?**

They seemed to be trying to come up with some sort of strategy to disguise themselves. I was curious when the girl came up with the idea of snatching some Soul Reaper uniforms and pretending to be part of a squad. **Ha, knowing some members in the Seireitei, that just might work.**

I watched, slightly impressed, as the redhead single-handedly took out two members of the Twelfth Division that had happened to pass by. I chuckled, adjusting my Zanpakuto slightly, so that it wouldn't slip off in my fox form, before glancing back down to see what the interesting pair would do next. **This seems a lot more fun than talking to Yoruichi, that frustrating cat.**

When my gaze fell on nothing but an empty street, I paused, my green eyes narrowed. **Where the hell did they go now? I can still sense them, but I can't see them.** I glanced quickly over my shoulder, making sure they hadn't managed to sneak behind me. **That would be just my luck, gotten the best of by a cat and a couple of kids in a scale of two days. **I huffed, pelt bristling. **How humiliating would that be?**

For a moment, I pondered on what course of action to take, since the strange duo had disappeared and I didn't particularly have any orders linked with them and their group. **I should actually start heading back to the Captain, **I decided. **I haven't seen him since yesterday** **and he must be stressed out with all his duties. Planning the execution hasn't been easy, and now there's this mess with the intruders. **I sighed, shaking my head in amusement. **I bet Rangiku isn't helping that much either.**

Standing, I began making my way across the roof, in the direction of my Division, when I felt an abrupt spike of unfamiliar Spiritual Pressure. My head whipped round, eyes wide. **Wha-? **The tiles beneath me suddenly gave way, and I gave a shocked yelp as I tumbled into empty space below.

'_Dammit!', _I cursed as I fell, hitting the ground with a dull thud. Scrambling up, I winced and bit back a hiss of pain, cradling my left forepaw. **Okay, putting weight on paw is not a good idea. **My Zanpakuto had slipped from my shoulder during the fall, and now lay a few feet away. I froze when I heard an impatient cough, and slowly let my eyes travel up, seeing black boots, moving up white-clad pants, leading up to a glowing bow, notched and ready to fire, pointed in my face.

**Oh, **my mind went blank, **that's a pointy stick**

Snickering echoed in the back of my mind, _**well now, seems like your IQ has gone down quite a bit, eh Kensei? **_ The voice gasped in mock horror, _**'What will your beloved Captain say to being caught so unawares?**_

'**Oh shut ya mouth, Tayosei, he's not my 'beloved' anything!' **I sniped back, then I smirked inwardly, **'besides, you know how I am in situations like these.' **I studied the hostile dark haired Ryoka, his stance tense and weapon held taunt. **'I'll improvise'.**

'_**Sure whatever you say Kensei, just don't go getting yourself killed' **_Replied the voice of my Zanpakuto, before falling silent once again.

I scoffed inwardly, amused, **I wouldn't dream of it. **

'_Uryu', _A small shy voice snapped me out of my ending conversation, the redhead had spoken, timidly reaching out to grasp the sleeve of my attacker, _'Uryu, what are you doing? It's just a fox, you're not going to kill it are you?'_

I was indignant, '_I am not an ''it''. Do you really think this kid could kill me? Please_**, **_how weak do you take me for? _I paused for breath.**Huh, **I mused, as I watched the girl gape like a fish, shock evident in her expression, **maybe I should have just kept quiet, she's obviously not used to talking animals**

'_As you can see, Orihime', _the white-clad boy, now known as Uryu, spoke, though he kept his eyes trained on me, _'this is no ordinary fox'._

I glared back at him, _'Well, whoop for you.' _I snapped, my fur prickling in annoyance. After all, he did just make me fall through a damm ceiling! _'What do ya want, a medal?'_

Uryu smirked back at me, which only infuriated me further. Trying to control the rising heat that had started to build up in the pit of my stomach, I eyed his weapon warily, which had suddenly seemed to appear more threatening.

'_If I were you, Soul Reaper', _the dark-haired boy began, motioning to the redhead, named Orihime, before continuing, _'I wouldn't try anything. One, you happen to be in the form of an animal, so extremely weak'. _I growled lowly in warning, as he said the word 'animal' in a condescending tone. _'Two, if I'm sensing your Spiritual Pressure correctly, you are currently badly injured, and so wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight even if you were powerful in that form. And three..'_

My eyes narrowed at his pause, and at his sudden gleeful expression, '_And three, we are now in possession of your Zanpakuto. You are now utterly powerless against the both of us'._

**What! **My head snapped round, as I glanced over my shoulder to where Tayosei should have been lying where I'd dropped him. My eyes widened in dismay as, sure enough, Orihime had my Zanpakuto in her arms. Apparently, she had crept past me, while the annoying brat had my attention. What had me confused was how, despite her actions, she still managed to maintain that apologetic and guilty expression.

**Damm. **I turned to face Uryu again, and seeing his confident expression, I heaved a sigh of resignation, grumbling to myself. **What have I gotten myself into this time? Sorry Captain, you're just gonna have to wait for a while longer.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Theme Song****: Stand by Rascal Flatts**

* * *

Opening my eyes, I groaned in pain, as I tried to get my bearings. **Shit, I'm waking up in pain to many times for my liking today. **I clutched at my head, as it had apparently decided that it didn't want to play nice, before rearing back slightly in surprise, to glance at my hand. **Seems that I'm back in human from. **Glancing down at my right arm, I raised it hesitantly, before clenching my fist and flexing the muscle. **My arm's healed too.**

Movement from above startled me from my observation, and I shot up, cursing as my head collided with something hard. I frowned when I heard familiar laughter, and I glared through watering eyes towards the source, raising a shocked eyebrow when my gaze landed on the culprit.

'_I-Ikkaku!' _I stuttered, seeing his bandaged form squatting on the floor, sword in hand, _'What the hell happened!'._ I rapidly scanned our surroundings, before realizing where we were. **The Fourth Division. **

I shot a glare at Ikkaku from my sickbed, he had still been laughing hysterically until tears ran down his face. Seeing my glare, he snorted, unimpressed, but still decided to answer my previous question.

'_A Ryoka', _the Eleventh Division member grudgingly explained, finally quieting down, _'bright orange hair, and strong' _He gestured behind me, an amused glint in his eye, _'He even managed to do a number on the Captain'._

At the mention of his infamous Captain, I felt a sudden chill run up my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Turning my head, I slowly glanced over my shoulder, only to come face to face with a very broad bandaged chest. I felt my mouth go dry. **Why is it that I almost always shit myself whenever Captain Zaraki's around?** **I should be used to it by now.**

Swallowing, I let my gaze trail up until I reached his face. I felt my eyes widen slightly, the Captain currently had his usual manic grin on his face. Thankfully, the apprehension lessened slightly, when I caught sight of his small Lieutenant peering cheerfully over her giant Captain's shoulder. **Though, it worries even more to think that there's a Ryoka powerful enough to put Zaraki in medical care.**

**Wait, bright orange hair..'**

'_You guys don't mean Ichigo Kurasaki, do you?' _At their questioning expressions, I elaborated, _'I met two other Ryoka and was sort of taken along for the ride. They told me that they were looking for an orange-haired guy called Ichigo.' _

'_You don't mean me and Uryu, do you?', _My mouth fell open in surprise when another small head popped up from behind Zaraki's other shoulder. **Damm, this just gets weirder and weirder.**

'_O-Orihime', _I choked out, eyes darting from the redhead to Ikkaku and the Captain, and back again. I frowned, unsure, when neither looked particularly surprised to see her there.

I huffed in disbelief, turning to Ikkaku, _'Don't tell me that you guys are on their side now?' _A thought suddenly hit me, and I groaned, _'And Glasses better not be here too!' _I growled in annoyance, frantically searching the room that all of us currently occupied. **If he's here, I'm gonna shove that damm bow somewhere he'll never find it again.**

I had a bone to pick with that Quincy brat, since he was the reason I was once again lying injured and out of action. When both Uryu and Orihime managed to get me defenseless, they took me with them on their search for their friend Ichigo.

Uryu had refused to allow Orihime to heal my broken leg, so I had ended up being carried by the busty girl. It wasn't an entirely…unpleasant experience, but it meant that I couldn't fight if we ran into trouble. **Trouble for me more to the point, I wouldn't go as far as to help out any damm Ryoka.**

Things went downhill from there, as our little trio was confronted by the Captain of the Twelfth Division, Captain Kurosutchi. That maniac actually tried to blow us up! I must have been knocked out by the blast, as the next thing I know, I wake up on a bed in the Fourth Division's Barracks.

'_We'll aren't you perceptive', _Ikkaku huffed, standing and shouldering his Zanpakuto. He pointed at Orihime. _'From what the girl has told us, there's more going on behind this execution than we thought.' _He then flashed a devilish grin, _'So we're gonna crash it'._

**So they suspect it too. It's just as that other Ryoka, Yoruichi said. **Blinking in surprise at this revelation, I warily scanned the Eleventh Division members, who were all watching me expectantly, Orihime included. My eyes widened.

'_You're not serious are you!?' _I asked exasperatedly, _'you expect me to go along with this? There's no way we'd even be able to reach Sokyoku Hill! The whole of Seireitei is crawling with Soul Reapers!' _I groaned, holding my head in frustration. Leaning back against the headboard, I rolled my eyes at their unrelenting stares.

'_B-but Kensei', _my glare snapped to the right, in the direction of Orihime's voice, and the timid girl flinched back slightly. Sighing, I softened my gaze. **After all, who could stay mad at those big eyes?**

'_What is it Orihime?', _I asked her softly, ignoring the muffled snicker of Ikkaku who had caught on to my sudden softness, and kept my eyes on the young redhead.

'_They've agreed to help me rescue Uryu', _she explained, glancing at the two Eleventh Division members with appreciation, before turning back to me, _'You'll help us won't you?'_

I stood, frowning down at my clenched hands from where I sat in my healing bed, debating my options. **I can't believe I'm even considering this! What would the Captain say? But on the other hand, all the events that have occurred are too much of a coincidence. All evidence points towards this, but none of us can discover what it is. Isn't it a Soul Reaper's job to protect the Seireitei at all costs?**

Another moment passed, and I made my decision. Yes, I nodded, this was what I needed to do. Straightening up, I flashed everyone a confident grin, green eyes flashing with determination. The other two wore identical maniacal grins, and even Orihime gave a hopeful smile.

'_Ah, hell I'm up for it!', _turning to Orihime, I gave her an amused smirk, _'so Glasses managed to get himself caught did he?'_ I snorted, before I paused, recalling something.

'_Hey Ikkaku?' _At his raised eyebrow, I continued, _'earlier, when I sat up, I hit something hard with my head. You have any idea what it was?'_

I was taken by surprise when he suddenly burst into hysterical laughter once again, at my persistent questioning, he merely pointed at the foot of my bed, gasping and wheezing for breath.

Confused, I leant forward, peering over the edge of the bed I currently occupied, and proceeded to choke on my tongue. There, laying on the floor completely unconscious, was Yumichika of the Eleventh Division. **Damm, I must have knocked him out cold. **

Anyway, shaking my head, I wanted to get out of the Fourth Division Barracks as soon as possible. Standing, I grabbed my Zanpakuto from where it was propped up against the wall by the door, and shouldering it, turned to the others.

'_Right', _I began, my confident grin back on my face, _' I think we've wasted enough time here, don't ya think? The execution's not gonna stop itself!'_ I cut myself off, when I noticed how quiet everyone had gotten. Ikkaku had looked away, his eyes focused intently on the floorboards and posture stiff, and Zaraki had gotten a strange gleam in his eye. _'..What?'_

'_You seem to have forgotten something Kensei' _Zaraki growled, pointedly staring at my chest, Orihime had turned bright red, she almost resembled a tomato, and she also had glanced nervously away. **What the hell is he on about? **Glancing down, my eyes widened and I blushed, reaching quickly for the bed sheets in order to cover up my completely naked form. **Shit! I forgot about the inconveniences of transforming! Well, this is embarrassing.**

I glanced up franticly, attempting to stutter out an apology, when something soft smacked me in the face, blocking my vision. Pulling it away from my face, I stared down at it, it was a clean set of my uniform. I shot a sheepish glance towards a smirking Captain Zaraki.

'_Put that on, Spitfire', _he grumbled, standing and heading towards the door, _'we're heading out'._

'_R-Right', _I stuttered swallowing, before turning to rapidly dress myself, blushing further as his amused chuckled echoed around the room.

* * *

**Theme Song:** **Hall of Fame by The Script**

'_So, what exactly is this great plan of yours? I didn't escape only to be captured again'_

'_You didn't escape asshole! They busted us out!'_

I rolled my eyes at that comment, as our group sprinted through the streets of the Seireitei, heading towards the execution grounds. Uryu had done nothing but complain since we had broken him and the rest of his buddies out of the prison. They all looked pretty beat up.

**And it seems Glasses makes enemies even with those within his own circle. **Glancing back, I saw that he was currently in a heated argument with another stocky Ryoka, Ganju, I think his name was. Yumichika had claimed to know him, apparently they'd fought each other when the group first turned up. He didn't go into details.

I looked back up ahead in time to see Captain Zaraki, who had been leading the strange expedition, enter the main square just below the Senkaimon. He still had both Yachiru and Orihime on his back. Though, I frowned in confusion when the Eleventh Division Captain suddenly stopped, and we all slowed down as we reached him in the middle of the square.

'_Captain what is it?' _Both Ikkaku and Yumichika had moved forward to stand beside their Captain, who had tilted his head upwards, a small manic grin creeping onto his face. I shivered. I had learned from experience that when Captain Zaraki had that look on his face, it meant a bloodbath was on its way.

Despite this, I still stepped forward, scanning the area for any danger. Immediately, I felt overwhelmed by four powerful Spiritual Pressures, one of which I knew very well. My eyes widened in dismay, and I felt my breath hitch. **Why? Why did **_**he **_**have to be here!**

Bracing myself, I watched as the four figures flash stepped into the clearing. Seventh Division Captain Komamura and his Lieutenant, along with Ninth Division Captain Tosen….and his Lieutenant. **Shuuhei..**

I couldn't look away as my close friend made his way to the side of his Captain, holding his confused glare as he did so. I tried conveying my thoughts through my green eyes, mentally pleading with him to understand. My heart sank as Shuuhei's expression became cold and distant as he looked to Captain Tosen for orders. **Damm, he's not Shuuhei anymore! He's become Lieutenant Hisagi.**

'_Kenpachi, what is the meaning of this?' _I glanced up to see that Captain Komamura had stepped forward, that helmet of his masking his face and muffling his growl. He continued, fury laced in his words, _'Have you finally lost your mind completely!'._

Kenpachi, for all the world, looked as relaxed as if it was a day on the beach. Raising a mocking eyebrow, he brought his Zanpakuto down from his shoulder, holding it lazily in front of him. _'So what if I have?' _He drawled back, a manic smirk on his scarred face, '_If you plan to get in my way, I'll have no problem in cutting you down'._

The whole of our group gasped in surprise when the Eleventh Division Captain suddenly turned to us, glaring menacingly. Orihime, who had been placed on the ground next to Glasses, let out a small whimper. _'All of you get lost', _turning back, I could see the manic smirk forming into an even more maniacal smile, I held my breath in anticipation, _This is my fight, and I wanna have a little fun before we move on'._

At that comment, Captain Tosen bristled with barely suppressed rage, his Spiritual Pressure taking on a murderous tint. _'Do you really believe, _he began, with forced calm. **Whoa! Very passive aggressive there! **He continued, _'that you could take use all on, our Lieutenants included? You really are arrogant'._

_Hell, this'll be a walk in the park for me!' _Zaraki retorted, with a smug smirk on his face, taking on an offensive stance, _'So what if I'm arrogant?' _Without taking his eyes of the enemy, Captain Zaraki growled back at us, _'Go on and get going you idiots! You should know that I don't want any of you in my way. This is my fight'. _Both Ikkaku and Yumichika, who were still standing at their Captain's side, had exchanged uncertain glances, but at their Captain's insistence, nodded obediently and made their way over to us.

'_You heard the Captain', _Ikkaku ordered gruffly, _'let's get moving!'._ Even though it was short, I still caught his shared glance with Yumichika, and quietly raised an eyebrow. **What are those two planning?** Shaking my head, I gestured to the rest of the group to continue heading towards the Senkaimon. Following after them, the two Eleventh Division members at my side, I could only hope that we would make it in time. **Rukia, it seems that we've all greatly misjudged you.**

After a while of running down empty streets, I noticed that both Ikkaku and Yumichika had started falling behind. Panting slightly, I slowed down with them, letting the Ryoka race on ahead. I planned to figure out what was wrong. **If their planning to do what I think their planning, then there's no way I'm being left out of this fight!**

'_Oi Ikkaku!', _They froze, turning to glare back at me from where they had been trying to sneak off, eyes narrowed. They reared back slightly in surprise on seeing my fiery expression. _'You're planning to go back and help out aren't ya?' _At their cautious nods, I grinned, blowing a few brown strands of hair out of my face as I did so. '_Well what are ya waiting for?'_

Sprinting back the way we came, I glanced back chuckling at their stupefied expressions, _'If ya stand there any longer, you're gonna miss out on the whole fight!'. _Calling back to them seemed to have jolted them out of their surprise, as they came to their senses, racing after me, matching devious grins on their faces.

Our trio appeared to have arrived just as the real battle got started, as both Tosen and Komamura had just set their Lieutenants on Zaraki. All three of us raced to intercept them, the two Eleventh Division members holding off the Seventh Division Lieutenant, while I had Shuuhei. **Shit.**

Gulping, I steeled myself to glare up at my old friend, and almost flinched at the shocked and slightly hurt expression on his face. Our Zanpakuto had locked together, both of us hesitant whether to make the next move.

'_So', _Shuuhei broke the tense silence, pressing forward, testing my strength, _'you've sided with the Invaders? And here I thought your loyalty was unquestionable.' _He shot me an accusatory glare, grey eyes flashing with such a look of betrayal that it almost made me choke on my own breath. Surging forward, Shuuhei attempted to overpower me with his force, but I had leapt back out of his reach, sword raised.

'_Shuuhei', _I barked, watching my old friend warily as he attempted to find an opening in my defense, _'will ya listen to me for a second here! You know me! I'd never do something this drastic without a good reason!'. _I gazed at him in exasperation, willing for him to back down and listen.

Around us, Zaraki was locked in combat with both Tosen and Komamura, the latter had already resorted to his Bankai. The amount of destruction was great; the buildings were hardly distinguishable among the rubble. Ikkaku, Yumichika and the other Lieutenant were nowhere to be found. **They probably took their fight elsewhere and relocated. I knew I would have.**

Observing the chaos around us, I turned back to Shuuhei, only to find him gone. Confused and wary, I got back into a fighting stance. I knew this as one of Shuuhei's attacks. **Disappearing and attacking from the shadows. **I had been the victim of this attack many times during our spars, so I could predict his next move.

A breeze to the right, I whipped round, bringing my sword up to block the oncoming blow, only for Tayosei to meet thin air. **Wha-? **My eyes widened in surprise when I felt a cool blade at my bandaged throat, held by the figure standing behind me.

Turning my head slightly, I eyeballed a serious Shuuhei, before giving him a small grin, _'You've improved a lot since we last sparred. You were more than two steps ahead of me this time, the Ninth Division must be doing you good'._

The sword at my throat shook slightly, making a small patch of blood stain my bandages. I ignored it, and instead somberly observed as my dear friend's professional façade crumbled. His head was bowed so his hair had covered his eyes, and his shoulders were shaking.

Hesitantly, I reached forward with one hand, while slowly pushing his Zanpakuto away from my throat. Gently grasping his chin, I raised his head so that grey eyes met green. I frowned at Shuuhei's conflicted expression, confused.

'_Why?' _He whispered, and I felt my eyes burn at the agony in his voice, _'Why does it have to be you? You know that to uphold the Soul Society I have to follow orders. You're my closest-If they ask me to kill you I don't know what I'd- I..' _

I cut him off by pulling him into a tight hug his head resting on my shoulder as he shuddered, attempting to control his cries; I didn't care if the situation didn't call for it, my dearest friend was hurting, and I was the cause of it. I hated that. **I had promised you hadn't I? That I'd always have your back. Ever since that night.. and here I am breaking that promise.**

Pulling back, I stared at Shuuhei, making sure that he had recovered from his near hysteria. Thankfully, no one had seen their exchange, Shuuhei hated for people to witness his weaknesses. _'Shuuhei', _I began, waiting for him to focus on me, _'we're going to stop this execution, Shuuhei'. _

'_What!' _At his shocked gaze, I hurried to explain, and his expression turned from shocked to surprise and then to anger. _'So, what you're saying is that your group suspects a conspiracy that's being covered up by Rukia Kuchiki's execution?' _A look of fierce determination had overtaken his features, as well as a dangerous glint in his eyes.

'_Yeah', _I nodded. We had relocated to a safer spot on the roof of one of the buildings, in order to avoid getting injured in the Captains' battles._ 'And what's more is-'_

I froze, when I felt a sudden surge of powerful Spiritual Pressure coming from the direction of Central 46, and dread filled me when I recognized it to be the distressed Pressure of Captain Hitsugaya. **Captain!**

Glancing sharply at Shuuhei, I saw that he had sensed it as well, as he stared knowingly back at me, giving me a sharp nod.

'_Go', _He commanded, turning his back to me, and towards the clearing we had just come from, Shuuhei glanced back to give one last remark, _'I'll handle things here, Kensei. If what you say is true, then your Captain needs you by his side. I know how close you two are.' _With that, I watched him jump off the tiled roof, and flash-step in the direction his Captain was still fighting. Leaving me wondering, if Shuuhei knew more then he let on.

Shaking myself out of those thoughts, I rapidly headed in the direction of Central 46, where my Captain currently resided. What he was doing there I didn't know. **He must be appealing to the Council Members. But why? What has he found out? **

I leapt from rooftop to rooftop, putting on as much speed as possible. It was already dusk, and the sun was just beginning to disappear behind the distant hills. Ignoring the beauty of it all, my mind was focused on one thing and one thing only.

**Toshiro, please be safe. Don't do anything rash, I'm on my way.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Theme Song****: Falls Apart by Thousand Foot Krutch**

* * *

The Captain's Spiritual Pressure had grown stronger and more prominent the closer I got to Central 46. I was tense and on high alert, ever since I sensed the Captain's Pressure go from distressed to murderously furious. It had caught me completely unawares and had left me shaken.

I paused right outside the outer gates of the Assembly Hall, quickly scanning the surrounding area. Everywhere was completely deserted, which put me even more on edge. **Most Soul Reapers are either busy up at the execution grounds, or they are out of action. **I stepped slowly through the already open gates, my hand gripping my sword. **Either way, if this conspiracy wanted a distraction, they've definitely found one.**

Looking up ahead, I spotted the inner doors of the Underground Hall had already been forced open. I flash-stepped to it, and was surprised to find results of Captain's Hyorinmaru surrounding the entrance. I broke a portion of the ice off from the doorframe, frowning down at it. **Why did he need to force his way in? Just what is going on?**

_**You need to keep focused Kensei, I have a feeling that everything will be explained inside.**_

I was about to ask Tayosei how he could know that, when another pulse of his Spiritual Pressure rose from the darkness of the entranceway. I wasted no time in sprinting down the descending staircase and into the Meeting Hall, my eyes rapidly adjusted to the darkness and I followed Captain Hitsugaya's presence down a long corridor.

I quickened my pace, when the sounds of angry voices and swords clashing reached my ears, and I burst into a large cave-like clearing. On my entering, the noise and fighting faltered for a moment, giving me time to assess the situation.

There in the center, was my Captain. Hitsugaya currently had his Zanpakuto, Hyorinmaru, in Bankai, his ice wings tensed, as if ready to strike. Opposite him, standing calmly was Captain Aizen of the Fifth Division, with Captain Ichimaru standing a little way behind him. I cringed slightly, when I saw the same snake-like grin that was constantly on his face. **That guy always gives me the creeps.**

'_Kensei!' _Startled, I turned back to Captain Hitsugaya, who had barked my name. He was still angrily facing the Captain of the Fifth Division, _'What are you doing here?'_

Even though I was confused about the situation, I immediately drew my sword and flash-stepped to his side, my Captain always had a reason for his actions. And he was hardly ever wrong. **I would follow him to hell if I had to, and even then I'd go willingly.**

At his confused glance, I shot him a mischievous grin, watching him as his eyes filled with understanding. I nodded, **good, **I thought facing forwards to face Aizen, **now he knows I'll fight by his side. **I raised my sword, glaring at the still calm Captain Aizen and Ichimaru.

'_So', _I began loudly, my voice echoing around the large empty space, _'does anyone wanna tell me what the hell's going on here? And you!' _I demanded, pointing my sword at Aizen, while glancing behind him, _'Why don't you tell me why your Lieutenant is lying dead behind you!'_

At Toshiro's low growl of fury, I narrowed my eyes further.

_A lot has happened in your absence, Third Seat Himitsu.'_ Captain Hitsugaya glanced at me, anger in his gaze._ 'While you were gone, an alert announcing Captain Aizen's murder was distributed among the Souls Society.' _My eyes widened in horror, and I glanced towards the now smirking Captain of the Fifth Division. I grit my teeth as I waited in suspense for my Captain to continue.

'_It threw the Seireitei into even more chaos. Soul Reaper was turning on Soul Reaper. It even drew Lieutenant Hinamori into madness!_

'_And then', _he continued, voice rising to a yell, glaring across at Ichimaru and Aizen, _'we find out that Aizen's death was just a ruse for those two to gain control of the Hogyoku! They tricked Hinamori into coming here alone, and they killed her!'_

At that, a red haze began to overcome my vision. How dare anyone harm Lieutenant Hinamori! I felt the heat start to rise within my chest, and spread throughout my body. I could barely hear the Captain trying to get me to calm down and focus.

I breathed in slowly, fists clenched by my sides. I gave my Captain, who had been looking on in concern, a reassuring nod and a small smile. A low chuckle echoed around the room, gaining our attention once again.

Aizen, **He doesn't deserve to be called Captain any longer, **had stepped forward. He had been listening to our conversation the whole time, but now he broke the silence.

'_My my', _he drawled, his square glasses glinting in the low light, _'such a… touching reunion. One I'm sure I can make some use out of'. _He flashed us a sinister smile. I shivered, that smile unnerved me.

'_Silence!' _Hitsugaya ordered, turquoise eyes cold and piercing, raising Hyorinmaru, _'you have no place to speak, after what you have done. You have betrayed us all!'_

'_Ah, but you must understand Captain Hitsugaya', _the ex- Captain replied lowly, fake sadness in his voice, _'my betrayal is a necessary part to the deception. I am, in fact, being compassionate in doing this.'_

**That's it! **_'That's bullshit and you know it!', _I snarled at him, I was trembling with rage at this moment. **We had all been played for fools. **_'You murdered your own Lieutenant, in cold blood! Where's the understanding in that!'._

'_Don't misunderstand me, Third Seat', _Aizen then turned to Captain Hitsugaya, _'I wish to teach your Captain that admiration is the furthest thing from understanding.' _Glancing down behind him, he gave a dark chuckle, turning back to face Hitsugaya, he smirked, _'That, I believe was the cause to poor Momo's downfall.'_

At the mention of his childhood friend's name, Hitsugaya became furious.

'_How dare you speak her name, while she lies dying at your feet!', _before I could act, my Captain charged towards our enemy, battle cry on his lips, Zanpakuto turning to ice once again.

I too, surged forwards, sword raised. My Captain needed me by his side, _'Reveal your Form, Tayosei!' _I cried. Immediately, I felt the heat within me spread, and my Zanpakuto disintegrated, only to form metal talons attached to my hands.

Hitsugaya was already locked in combat with Aizen. I could feel his power lash out uncontrollably, as he let his fury overtake him. I made to attack Aizen from the side, raising a clawed hand to strike, but I was suddenly intercepted.

A tall figure, with an everlasting sinister smile, _'Ichimaru', _I growled, my talons had clashed with the Third Division Captain's Zanpakuto. _'You're a part of this too?' _ Ichimaru only chuckled, reaching out to firmly grasp my bandaged neck.

Upon seeing this, my eyes widened and I shot back out of reach, letting out a quiet curse, _'You snake!', _I hissed, talons raised into a defensive position, _'you would be so confident as to blatantly go for an open attack!'_

'_Tut, tut, Third Seat Himitsu', _Mocked Ichimaru, playfully wagging a disapproving finger at me,_ 'you forget that I am a Captain. Where is your respect?' _Leaping forward, I rapidly brought my talons down towards his unprotected face, only to be blocked and pushed back.

I dug my claws into the ground, in an attempt to prevent myself from skidding back any further, causing orange sparks to fly up. Whipping my head up, I glared back at my opponent, _'And you forget', _I seethed, standing back up, cracking the joints in my aching fingers, _'that you gave that title up ever since you decided to join this conspiracy.' _I surged forwards once again, coming at him from the side this time.

Around us, Captain Hitsugaya had apparently managed to get a few hits in, as Aizen appeared to be having trouble keeping up with my Captain's speed. **You are no match for my Captain's fury,** I thought smugly. Though I observed that, despite that, my Captain had gained quite a few injuries himself, even if none of them were particularly life threatening.

It was when I was just about to turn back, that everything went wrong. I had heard my Captain cry out, and whipped around in time to witness my most admired Captain being run through by the sword of his enemy.

Time seemed to have frozen, and I could only watch despairingly, as the man I had followed for centuries was cut down by an enemy's blade. **No! **I could hear the screaming echo within my head.

I continued to stare as Hitsugaya fell. It was only for a moment, but he glanced my way, and we locked gazes, it was only for a moment, but it seemed like an age. I gasped, as something akin to affection was present in his expression, as he stared at me. It wasn't an expression of fear or pain, but it was soft. **Toshi-Captain?** I remember having seen that look before.

I took comfort in that glace, no matter how short it was. A sharp pain below my abdomen brought me back to the present, and I howled in agony. As I looked down, I could only gape as I took in the steel sword penetrating from my stomach. **S-so much blood.**

Slowly, glancing back up, I met the triumphant expression of Ichimaru, as he yanked his sword out from my stomach, causing me to fall to my knees. I could already feel the haze of darkness, drift over my consciousness, blocking my vision.

**Everything is falling apart! **I gasped in pain, gargling as I choked, and I coughed into a trembling hand. Bringing it up to eye-level, I breathed out shakily as I saw the amount of blood there. I wasn't going to last long.

Clutching at my wound, I pulled myself around, I glimpsed Toshiro a little way away. He was laying face down, unmoving. I felt a sudden pain within my chest, that had nothing to do with my wound, and it confused me. **Why does my chest restrict so painfully?**

Darkness continued to pull me into the depths of unconsciousness, and I helplessly tried to fight it. I was beginning to panic, I needed to stay alive to make sure my Captain did! Someone needed to alert the Seireitei of this great betrayal.

Reaching up with my free hand, I traced the aged scar along the bridge of my nose, some strands of hair had fallen over my eyes and I brushed them away, leaving them bloodstained. **Shuuhei. **I had promised him too, that I'd stay alive and fight by his side. I chuckled softly, as I felt the sadness and darkness wash over me.

**Just another promise I've failed to keep. I'm so sorry. My dear Getsu, wait for me, I believe I'll be joining you soon.**


	9. Chapter 9

Hey, I'd just like to say that this is the last chapter for Broken Wings, and so thank you guys for taking your time to read it. I was planning to write a sequel for this, but I'm not really sure where I would start. It'd be a great help if you guys have any ideas you could send me? Even if anyone wanted an OC character!

Thanks again for bearing with this story!

**Secret Keeper-Kipa**

* * *

**Theme Song****: Broken Wings by Flyleaf  
**

* * *

_**I lay dozing within the shade of my favorite tree, listening to the delicate birdsong and relishing the cool breeze against my face. Something fluttered against my cheek, then another against my nose, I frowned slightly before cracking one eye open. **_

_**Both eyes then snapped open, and I sat up quickly, looking up at where my long time friend was perched on a low branch of the tree, sending cascading cherry blossoms down on my relaxed form. She was smirking mischievously, and flashed me a toothy grin when she saw that I was now awake and scowling up at her in annoyance. 'Is that really necessary, Getsu?' I sighed and smirked a little when she jumped down and sat down next to me, reclining against the tree trunk. Eyes closed she nodded, and we both sat in silence, not needing words to convey our thoughts. I could sense something weighing heavily on Getsu however, and, after a moment, I nudged her, causing her to glance at me in curiosity.**_

'_**Your troubled', I stated more than asked, and at her hesitant look I continued, 'You know you don't need to hold anything back from me, you can tell me anything no matter what, I've got your back'.**_

**I've got your back.**

I opened my eyes blearily, before groaning in pain and closing them again. I heard something shuffling around somewhere above me, and I furrowed my eyebrows in annoyance. My eyes shot open in surprise when I felt a hand gently trace over the frown on my forehead, and I looked up to get a glimpse of the one responsible.

Captain Hitsugaya was leaning over my now conscious form. His face was relatively close to mine, so I could distinctly see the light green flecks dotted around in those teal eyes of his. His hair had fallen perfectly over his right eyes, all in all, giving him an urethral appearance.

Once he noticed that I was awake, the Captain had quickly drawn back, composing himself. But not before I saw relief and a hint of something else I couldn't distinguish, but it made me feel warm, show in his eyes. **There's no point hiding from me Captain, I can read you like a book. Or have you forgotten that? **I smiled at him.

'_Hey Captain', _I greeted, tough my voice was raspy and I coughed slightly, _'long time no see'. _I took the returning silence as a chance to observe my Captain, checking on the injuries he had received. His torso had been bandaged, and he had a bruised cheek, but that was the extent of the damage. I sighed quietly in relief.

Apparently, the Captain had been doing the exact same thing, as I saw his eyes flash with pain, before they hardened once again.

'_How do you feel Third Seat Hi-', _here, he paused, a hand on his leg clenching into a fist, before continuing, _'-Kensei. How do you feel Kensei?'_

I cocked my head to the side, giving him a small mischievous smirk, _'Ahh, Toshiro,' _I began, chuckling as I watched him splutter, _'I feel perfectly fine, though I could do with a glass of water.'_

Nodding, he stood, turning to the door. Heading towards it, he paused before exiting, looking back at me, his eyes softened and he flashed me a small smile.

'_I'm glad you're safe, Kensei.' _With that, he left, most likely in search for that water I requested, leaving me to my thoughts.

Sitting up, I huffed as I found that I was, for the billionth time, in the Fourth Division's Barracks. **How many times am I gonna end up waking up in this place! **At least I was in a private room this time.

I gratefully stared out of the bedside window, enjoying the quiet peace of the moment. I was just spacing out, when I suddenly felt an unfamiliar Spiritual Pressure coming up fast. I almost had a heart attack when the source of that unfamiliar Pressure leapt up to my window from out of nowhere.

'_Rukia's disappeared!', _an orange-haired boy yelled frantically, looking around in a panic, brown eyes wide. Suddenly he stopped, pulling back to stare questioningly at my frozen form, _'who're you? And where's Byakuya?'_

Snapping out of my frozen shock, I stared back at the stranger, eyebrow raised, _'I could ask you the same question', _I replied slowly, gradually taking in the young man's appearance. He had on a Soul Reaper's uniform, along with a huge ass Zanpakuto strapped to his back. **Hmm, he's a Soul Reaper? He's no one I know-unless..**

'_Oh, you must be Ichigo!' _, at his surprised and suspicious glance, I elaborated, full on grinning now, _'You've been a popular topic here among the Soul Society.' _At his grimace, I laughed.

'_Don't remind me', _He grumbled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, giving me a small smirk, _'all I wanted to do was rescue Rukia.'_

At this, I nodded seriously, _'Yeah, I've heard. I'm guessing you succeeded?'. _I smiled again at his nod, _'Good'._

Seeing his confused glance, I explained, _'You see, not everyone agreed with her execution. She's actually one of my close friends. Though I hope I still have the right to call her that.' _I frowned down at my clasped hands, pondering.

'_What? So you're saying you know Rukia?' _Looking back up to Ichigo's expectant face, I pushed any despondent thoughts to the side and snickered.

'_I have a feeling', _I mused, giving the orange-haired kid a friendly punch on the shoulder, _'that we're gonna get on real well Ichigo Kurosaki'. _I was just about to settle back down, when I suddenly remembered something.

'_Oh, and if you're looking for Captain Kuchiki, he's in the room next door.' _I gestured with my thumb to the room behind me, '_I can sense his Spiritual Pressure from here'._

Giving me an appreciative nod, he was just about to head back out, when he paused and looked back at me, eyebrow raised.

'_By the way', _He started, _'what's your name?'_

'_Kensei Himitsu, at your service', _I quipped, lazily saluting him with a grin, _'here's a hint Ichigo, I recommend you enter though the Captain's window in the exact same way you did through mine.' _I smirked, _'Almost gave me a heart attack'._

Ichigo full out laughed at this, so much, that he almost toppled out of the window he was perched on, _'Thanks for the advice, I'll keep that in mind'. _Still chuckling, he turned back to face out the window. And, giving me a backwards wave, disappeared again, '_Nice meeting you Kensei. Until next time.'_

'_Yeah', _I agreed quietly, to empty space, allowing the quiet to descend once again. After a moment, I leant back with a small smile, my eyes trained on the door to my room, to which it immediately slid open to reveal Captain Hitsugaya with a disgruntled look on his face.

'_Took ya long enough_ _Captain'_, I teased slyly, though when I spotted the disgruntled look, I raised a curious eyebrow, _'What's with that look?'._

I could have sworn I saw my Captain blush at my words, though he looked away quickly so that his hair covered part of his face, so I couldn't be sure.

He took no trouble in voicing his displeasure, however, _'That Ichigo Kurosaki', _Hitsugaya grumbled, _'He was here just now, wasn't he?' _Resuming his seat, he passed a cup of water over to me, before sitting rigidly straight, arms crossed. _'I sense his Spiritual Pressure all around you.'_

I paused in my motions of taking a sip from the cup offered, and peered over at him from above the rim. I cocked my head, wondering. What I thought next surprised me, and I stared down at the cup in my hands. **He couldn't be..? Could he?**

'_Captain-', _I began hesitantly. But before I could continue, I was interrupted by said Captain raising a hand to silence me.

'_Kensei', _He stated sternly, giving me a hard look, and I swallowed nervously, _'Haven't I told you before, that you can refer to me as Toshiro during times like these?'_

I stared at him blankly for a moment, before understanding filled my gaze. **That's right! **I remembered. **I had promised him that I would be more open to him with my thoughts, and he promised the same to me.**

It all became clear to me now. As it was around fifty years after we had both joined the Tenth Division, when this promise was made. It had been the first day of winter, Getsu's anniversary, and the day of her death. Normally during these times, Shuuhei would have taken the day off, and we would have both disappeared into the 64th District for the whole day. It was where she and I had grown up, and where she had convinced me to become a Soul Reaper. I sighed, pain filling my heart. I remembered it as if it were yesterday:

_**I gazed out at the horizon, where I could see the tall white tower that revealed the start of the Seireitei. A sudden twist in my chest had me inhaling sharply, emotion suddenly choking me, and I frowned, confused.**_

'_**So you feel it too?', Looking to the side, I stared at Getsu in confusion. On seeing this, she elaborated, 'You feel that tightening in your chest? That feeling of longing, that there's a part of you missing?' At my hesitated nod, hazel eyes grew hard with determination. 'I think', she started slowly, 'that we should become Soul Reapers.' She studied me intently, as if she expected me to argue. I guess she did, since she did look shocked when I agreed with her. **_

'_**I'm guessing you've been havin' those same dreams I've had, neh?' Looking back at her with equal determination, I took her slender hand in both of mine, 'Well then, I'm with ya all the way!' A full blown grin made its way onto her features when she heard me slip back into street talk, she knew I only did that when I got worked up or excited, so she knew she had my full support.**_

Only, in the end, only one of us had made it. I guess, in the end, I'm glad it was Toshiro who was the one to find me that day. Though, it wasn't that difficult to find me, but somehow, he understood. I was laying on the rooftop of the Division's Barracks, watching the stars and the moon, when he had come up to join me. He didn't question me, or say anything; he just lay there, allowing the both of us time to ponder on our own thoughts.

Eventually, all it took was one of his soft looks that got me telling him everything, both good and bad. I guess I still am a sucker for those soft looks of his, and I think I'm beginning to understand why.

Anyway, since then, we've become as close as ever, and made a promise to never hold back from one another. **But.** I thought, **isn't that what I've been doing for a while now?**

I debated with myself for a moment, vaguely aware that Toshiro was staring at me in growing confusion. In the end, my resolve strengthened, and I glanced back up at Toshiro, who seemed taken aback at the sudden determination in my gaze.

Reaching forward slowly, I allowed Toshiro time to pull away, before I cupped his bruised cheek, tracing my thumb over it softly. _'Toshiro', _I whispered gently, I shifted my eyes to his face, and I heard his breath hitch slightly. He must have seen the affectionate look in my green eyes, as his teal one's widened in apprehension.

Not breaking eye contact, I spoke, _'Toshiro, I'm sorry that I had forgotten our earlier promise. So I want to make something even stronger, so that neither of us will have the excuse to forget.'_

Toshiro was beginning to look bewildered, but I continued on regardless, _'Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of the Tenth Division', _I declared, still cupping his cheek, _'from this moment on, I vow to never hold back on you. In this time of betrayal within the Soul Society, I vow to stand by you and fight by your side, no matter what the cause'._

Finishing, I paused for a moment, before suddenly flushing a deep scarlet, as I realized how forward I had been. **Shit! It must have been the effect of those damm medical drugs. **I made to pull back, and whipped my head round in shock when I felt something warm clasp my retreating hand, preventing me from going any further.

I peered up, embarrassed, only to find my Captain smiling down at me, pure joy glinting in his light teal eyes. I flushed even further, when that smile, turned into a sly smirk, and Captain Hitsugaya leaned forward to whisper back into my ear, making me shiver.

'_I shall hold you to that vow, Third Seat Himitsu.' _He purred, _'I greatly look forward to it'._


End file.
